Iris Apfel Barbie: Fashion icon became the oldest person to have a doll made after her in 2018

Fashion icon Iris Apfel passed away on Friday, March 1, 2024, aged 102, at her home in Palm Beach, Fla. A spokesperson from her estate confirmed the news. The cause of her death has not been revealed.

Apfel was known for her unique fashion style and worked with various brands, including Kate Spade and H&M. She first became a fashion icon in the 1980s and was photographed for Vogue and the New York Times. Her signature fashion items included oversized glasses, bright and bold prints, and feather boas.

In 2018, at the age of 96, Iris Apfel had a Barbie doll made in her likeness. She became the oldest person to have a Barbie doll made in her image. As per The Mirror, the doll bore an "uncanny resemblance" to Apfel and featured her signature oversized glasses.

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Iris Apfel was the oldest person to have a Barbie doll made in her likeness

In 2018, Iris Apfel officially became the oldest person to have a Barbie doll made in her image. The fashion icon launched Barbie on her Instagram on March 15, 2018.

The special edition doll wore an embroidered emerald Gucci suit, Apfel's signature oversized round glasses, layered necklaces, ruffled blue collars, and color block bangles. The mini figurine had an uncanny resemblance to Apfel.

During the launch of the figurine in 2018, a spokesperson for Mattel said in a statement:

"Iris Apfel is a fashion role model for Barbie with her singular style vision, entrepreneurial spirit and independence. Her long-spanning career makes her the perfect subject of a one-of-a-kind doll, the highest honor Barbie bestows."

Apfel's special edition doll was not for sale. However, Mattel launched two "styled by" dolls in the fall of 2018, inspired by Apfel's Rara Avis jewelry collection. As per Harper Bazaar, Apfel's figurine added some "age diversity" to the Barbie canon. Her doll was made wrinkle-free, but it was a big step towards age inclusivity, per Bazaar.

The special edition figurine was a follow-up to Mattel's "Sheroes" collection, which included a diverse group of dolls modeled after female icons or role models. Mattel introduced the collection on the occasion of International Women's Day on March 8, 2018.

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Iris Apfel's fashion career, spanning over four decades explored

Iris Apfel was known for her signature fashion styles and statements. She was popularly known as the self-proclaimed geriatric starlet.

Born in 1921, Apfel entered the world of fashion when she began working as a copywriter for Women's Wear Daily. She also worked as an interior designer. In 1948, she got married to Carl Apfel, and the couple founded a textile firm called LD World Weavers in 1950. The couple ran the business until 1992, when they took retirement.

While working as an interior designer, Iris Apfel worked under nine American presidents, including JFK, Bill Clinton, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, and Harry S. Truman.

She took up multiple home restoration projects and reportedly had a contract with the White House spanning these nine presidents. Apfel also took on private projects with clients such as Greta Garbo and Estee Lauder, reports the BBC.

Apfel first became a fashion role model in the 1980s, when she frequently appeared in the New York Times. She worked as a model for several brands, including H&M, Kate Spade, MAC Cosmetics, Le Bon Marché, and Alexis Bittar.

As per BBC, Apfel was known for her love for fabrics. She often traveled to Europe with her husband Carl to collect fabric reproductions from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, per The Mirror. She usually sported bright, bold colors, her signature short haircut, and bright lipstick shades.

For her 100th birthday in August 2021, Apfel collaborated with H&M on a special collection. The special collection was launched in April 2022. Some of her iconic designs, priced between $30 and $400, sold out in minutes, according to The Mirror.

Iris Apfel did not have any children. Her husband, Carl, passed away in 2015.